Falling into Place
by yoru no ame
Summary: A direct continuation of “Putting a Name to a Face.” Saiga and Kakei have only just met, but events are slowly beginning to unravel that will test their new relationship.
1. Chapter 1: Second Meetings

Note: This story is a continuation of a challenge response fic I wrote titled, "Putting a Name to a Face." I recommend you read that first. When I wrote the original, I intended for it to be a one-shot but it has evolved to be some sort of glorified, prologue for _this_ story.

Chapter 1 – Second Meetings

A small amount of light – a mishmash of florescent street lamps, neon shop signs, and halogen headlights – managed to filter through the drawn curtains and into the makeshift bedroom situated above the area's most recently established drugstore. The man stretched out on the bed, usually the kind to prefer complete darkness, on this night, was unbothered by the intrusion. Unbothered because on his nightstand rested a small rectangular card that marked the beginning of the most important relationship of his life.

There was light enough to distinguish the paper from the table, if not to actually make out what was written. It made no difference. The man gave a small smile to the unreadable letters – an idea was beginning to take shape. Soon enough, the smile overtook his features, because while it was one thing to be patient, it was quite another to blindly let opportunity pass by.

* * *

He had been told to rest and yet Saiga felt compelled instead to unpack the boxes that had been littering the floor of his new apartment for the better part of a week. The fact that the phone still needed to be set up playing no small part in the sudden motivation. It was ironic really, but several boxes had their entire contents removed in order to find the proper container – next time he would pack the boxes in a logical arrangement instead of randomly tossing in anything that fit.

Once found, the phone was set up next to the couch where he was somewhat inclined to stay now that he had located his target. And wasn't it customary to test things like this out once they were hooked up? His receipt from earlier in the day would surely have the pharmacy phone number… He dismissed the idea. He had already made his bid. Now was the time for patience.

Instead of making his call, Saiga surveyed the mess created by retrieving the phone. This was far worse than random boxes strewn about the place. Nothing that had been immediately essential had been left packed away. Now, books and office supplies, dish towels and kitchen cleaner, that small kit he kept needles and thread in – everyone should, at the very least, be able to replace a missing button – along with a myriad of other items, all of them crowded the floor making it hard to even move around. His motivation kicked back in then because what kind of place was this for entertaining guests? Never mind that he was still sick.

When he decided it was time to be finished for the night it was already well past midnight. Sleep usually came easy but despite the late hour and the exhaustion that comes naturally with being sick all week, quality rest eluded him. He couldn't help but think that he would certainly rest easy if he were lying next to a certain pharmacy manager. But then, maybe that fell into the "cheating" category. There was only one other meaning such a comment could have but the chances of a brand new acquaintance knowing _that_ were slim – though enough to make his latest romantic interest even more intriguing.

* * *

The first time the phone rang, he was just stepping out of the shower and had to rush into the living room, dripping wet and with his towel barely held closed by his left hand, to answer. The effort went unrewarded. On the other end of the line was a obnoxiously perky woman. "Good morning sir and congratulations on your new home! I have an _exciting_ off—"

The second caller was a man, but not the one he was hoping for. It must have been a creditor because he had one _hell_ of a time convincing the man that while, _yes_, this was his home, _no_, he was _not_ Nakamura Okita and _no_, he had no idea of how to reach him.

The third call _was_ for him but he really hadn't been too worried about the loose door

hinge anyway, it _did_ work as it was. They could fix it any time and it wouldn't make a bit of difference to him. It was not as though he actually had to be there to let the repair men inside.

When the phone rang for a fourth time he was already in the living room – looking over a letter that he had read enough times to memorize – and he wondered if it was really even worth the effort to turn around to grab the receiver. He should have signed up for caller ID. Or maybe he should just get a cellular phone and be done with it.

He answered.

"Saiga-san, this is Kakei from Green Drugstore. You remember?"

As casually as though it hadn't been thoughts of this man and his seemingly off hand comments that had kept him from a good nights rest, he said, "I never forget a pretty face."

"I'm calling to see if you are following my advise. Do you feel any better today?"

"I'm feeling better by the moment." He replied in a tone that left no room for misunderstanding the cause of his sudden burst of health.

"You don't have a fever do you? If you have the flu and let it go, it could turn to pneumonia. I don't want to see you back at the store for antibiotics."

What the hell was this? They were supposed to be setting up a date – or at the very least, flirting – anything but discussing his health issues. Undaunted, he kept his head in the game. "Maybe not for a prescription, but I certainly would enjoy seeing you again."

"Saturday store hours are 9:00 to noon and 1:00 to 5:00. Now if you'll excuse me, a customer needs my attention." The man on the other line hung up before Saiga could get another word out.

He glared at the phone, as though it were the device's fault that the man on the other end of the line was being stubborn, before returning it to the charger. He asked to see him again and all he got was store hours? Maybe he shouldn't have challenged the man – he had seemed interested yesterday. But if those were the hours Kakei was working, then he had lunch from noon to one – plenty of time for a meal with a new acquaintance. Or maybe that had been the point all along.

Of course, following that logic, he was free for dinner as well, but Saiga didn't want to push too hard too soon. Kakei hardly seemed the kind to be intimidated but sometimes it was best to let the pursued believe they were in control.

* * *

When Saiga arrived at Green Drugstore the next day, a sign in the window already displayed the message _Be Back at One_ where the time was noted though the used of an artificial clock. The door, however, remained unlocked. He walked right in and headed to the back where he had seen a short hallway the last time he was in the store. As he had suspected, at the end of the hall was an office. His unofficial lunch date was sitting behind a desk shuffling through what looked like dreadfully boring business papers.

He spoke up. "Lunch time should be spent eating and relaxing, not working."

Any fear that he had misinterpreted the phone call vanished when the man put on that slight smile that he seemed so fond of and replied, "You're right. Unfortunately," and here, the man eyed a small refrigerator in the corner of the office, "I have no appetite for leftovers."

"I suppose I could be… _persuaded_ into sharing some of mine." He raised the bento box and tempted, "Made fresh this morning."

The man's eyes brightened and that slight smile grew by a hair, but what he said was, "I'm not sure that it would be proper for me to accept food from a random customer."

"You're in the habit of making house calls to _random_ _customers_?"

The pharmacist made no verbal indication that he would acquiesce, but after a moment, simply stood and moved over to sit in an arm chair while indicating for Saiga to take the couch. He could only wonder for now about the seemingly large amount of comfortable seating. Most offices he had been in only had, well, office furniture. It was possible that this was used as the break room – though that would be strange as well – but he still had yet to see additional employees and, despite the lack of proof, Saiga doubted there were any. Maybe he would be able to learn something over lunch – find out if this store was more than an odd little pharmacy with a pretty manager. Not that there needed to be something like that for Saiga to maintain his interest, but if there were…

Saiga took the offered seat and began to unpack the lunches he had brought. His cooking never had been poor, though there was nothing special about it either. When you only cook for yourself, there isn't much incentive to go out of the way. Maybe with practice, his presentation would improve.

Neither made mention of the extra pair of chopsticks or the fact that the amount of food was obviously more than any one person could eat alone.

It was something of an awkward meal in Saiga's opinion. A casual observer would have said that they were merely two people eating lunch at the same time and place, and for the sake of not being rude, conversed while they were at it. They carried a pleasant enough conversation but the topics were mundane. Any time the conversation turned toward an interesting or remotely personal direction, Kakei would skillfully guide them back to what seemed to be a predetermined list of safe topics.

The one piece of truly personal information he managed to scrap up was that running this drugstore had been some sort childhood dream for the other man. A dream that had only become a reality a few months ago.

More than once during lunch he had to break away to cough, though he really was feeling better than he had the last time he was in the store. The cough was loud but not disgusting, as it had been two days ago. During one such instance, when the bento box was nearly empty, Kakei took the opportunity to slip out of the room. He returned only moments later and held his hand out to his lunch companion.

"Here, take this. It'll help with your cough." Kakei's tone was warmer than it had been at any time so far today and the druggist was making an open study of his features. Saiga wasn't above using medicine as a way to further his purposes – not when it made the other man look at him like that – so he accepted the miniature cup without hesitation. He downed its contents, making sure to get every last drop by way of his tongue – a motion he took great pains to ensure that Kakei noticed – and resisted the urge to ruin the effect by chasing the foul liquid with tea.

His trusting gesture was well received. Kakei's smile seemed broader than before – no, was definitely broader than before.

It wasn't long before he began to suspect there was a problem. Kakei, it turned out, had a twisted sense of humor.

* * *

Author's Notes: Thanks to everyone who requested a continuation. I had general ideas for this story even before I posted "Putting a Name to a Face" but without your encouragement, I mostly likely wouldn't have put those ideas to use.


	2. Chapter 2: Small Favors

Chapter 2 – Small Favors

It was a little sad really. Saiga had just been getting to the part where he would ask him out for a proper date when he had fallen asleep. Still, the effort the man put into trying to prevent the inevitable was incredibly amusing, and since it was for his own good, Kakei did not even have to feel guilty.

He eased Saiga down onto the couch and settled the man into a position where his blood flow would not be inhibited while he rested.

He had not _known_ what would happen. He had not even bothered to try a reading – not with Saiga. His foreknowledge of the man would forever be limited to those rare visions so powerful that they came on him without effort or warning, and to such small bits as he could pick up from others who were linked to the same events.

Getting the dosage just right was more of a stroke of luck than anything else. He had been forced to estimate Saiga's body weight to do it. Saiga was a large man, tall with broad shoulders – traits Kakei had always found to be appealing. There was a time when he had worried that maybe his opinion was overly influenced by his knowledge, but now he was sure; he would have been attracted to Saiga no matter the situation.

Placing a hand on the now unconscious man's forehead, he spoke out loud, knowing he would not be heard. "I knew it." Creating all the various items for a proper boxed lunch takes effort. More effort than he ever put into the food he made for himself. It was actually a bit romantic and he found himself wondering if Saiga was the kind of man that would be offended by that sort of compliment. "You don't have to push yourself for my sake. I'll still be here." Part of this was his own fault – he could have waited to call, he could have insisted on meeting later in the week – and for _that_, he felt guilty. But not too much. Certainly not enough to regret his decision.

There were still a few minutes before the store reopened and he found it was easy to pass the time by studying Saiga's face. Most of his visions of the slumbering man were still a ways off, at a time when he was older, more mature – at a time when his sunglasses were no longer a fashion accessory, but a permanent fixture. It was hard, pulling himself away and returning to work.

When he went to change the sign back to 'Open', he was immediately greeted by Himura-san. Not counting their brief conversation a few days ago, the last time he had seen her, he had still been in high school – though he occasionally heard news of her through others. It had come as a welcome surprise to learn that she had recently moved her family back to Tokyo.

The sign remained as it had been and he lead her back to his office to finish their conversation. She sat in one of his chairs but was reluctant to speak – preferring to spend her energy on not eyeing the large stranger laid out on the couch.

Kakei waved her concerns away. "Him? Don't worry. This is Saiga, my… a friend," he corrected smoothly. "You can trust him." He had planned to go on to say that the man was fast asleep and would not be waking for some time yet, but Himura forestalled the explanation.

"_Friend?_"She snickered, studying the man openly now, completely at ease. "It's _him_, isn't it? He's the one?" She barely paused to spare a glance at Kakei before going on, "Ah! I can tell just by looking at you! You seem so…relaxed. I'm happy for you."

"I wouldn't get too excited if I were you. We only met a few days ago."

"And yet here he is, already sleeping in your office." Her laugh seemed a bit childish for a woman her age.

Enough about him – back to the topic at hand. "You said you needed a favor. Something important."

She sombered immediately. "I've been hearing…rumors." She paused, unsure of just how to explain.

Kakei gave her time to organize her thoughts and said nothing.

After a few moments, she went on. "It's probably nothing." It did not sound as though she had managed to convince herself of that. "I let the smallest things bother me these days." That was a little better. "But there was this elderly woman the other day…. She seemed so genuine. I feel ridiculous for even asking, but…" She trailed off before finishing in a rush, "I'd feel better if you would please do a reading."

"I've already told you all I—"

"Not for me. For my daughter."

"Hmmm…Tsukiko-chan, correct?"

"Oh that's right! You haven't had a chance to meet either of them yet, have you? If I had my other purse, I would show you pictures."

"That's alright. Just bring her by when you have a chance. I'll do what I can."

"Thank you so much!" She expressed her gratitude with several bows before heading toward the exit.

She was half way through door before she turned around. "Ah! I nearly forgot. I want you to take this." She sifted quickly though her purse and retrieved a small wooden box. "As a thank you."

"No, I couldn't."

"It's not much. That woman I mentioned? She gave this to me. There really doesn't seem to be anything special about it, but I could tell it meant a great deal to her. I thought maybe it was some sort of good luck charm." She spared a glance at the man on the couch. "Please, I _want_ you to have it."

It was not worth the trouble to argue with her. He accepted, and, after she left, deposited the item into his desk without checking its contents. His visions were never wrong.

* * *

It was not quite two-thirty when the man on the coach finally regained awareness. There's nothing quite like wasting valuable seduction time by sleeping – and sleeping alone at that. He had tried to stay awake, to will his eyelids to stay open, but the drowsiness had come suddenly. He didn't even remember finally nodding off. He _did_ however remember Kakei and he could swear there had been a smirk on his face all the while – as if he was taking some kind of perverse pleasure in his desperate attempts to stay awake. You really cannot blame someone else if you have a bad reaction to medicine – plenty of cough medicines list drowsiness as a side effect – but did he really have to enjoy it so much?

Saiga noticed the way he was in laying on the couch. He certainly hadn't put himself in that position. So the guy at least was considerate enough not to let him wake up sore from sleeping in an awkward position. And to be honest, he did feel better for the nap.

That's not to say the man was completely innocent. It would be a huge disappointment if the guy turned out to be some kind of control freak, but Saiga had the feeling that this was all just part of some game the other man was playing with him. A game he didn't quite understand the rules to yet.

He allowed himself a minute to fully wake up before leaving the office; there was still work to do before he could return home.

Kakei was working behind the pharmacy counter by the time Saiga strolled onto the main store floor. "My my, so you're finally up. If you were really so tired, you should have stayed home and rested."

"You're right. I'm sure it had nothing to do with whatever that was you gave me." It sounded convincing to his ears.

"Didn't I mention? That particular brand of cough medicine contains prescription strength codeine. Or was that a double dose?" The druggist paused briefly in pretense of trying to remember. "Either way, you really shouldn't take drugs without knowing what they are first."

What was the deal with this guy? "Prescription strength? I haven't seen a doctor."

"I won't tell if you don't." A slender hand did a poor job of hiding the smile.

Oh, he was being toyed with all right – Kakei was obviously having a good time. So much the better for him. He breathed a sigh of relief; it was all an act. Clever, but still transparent enough that Saiga wasn't worried. He would just have to work harder.

"Well, like I was saying earlier, since I'm new to the area, it'd be nice to have someone to point out the hot spots. How about this: I buy you dinner and you show me around."

The pharmacist took a moment to mull over his reply. "I suppose that sounds like a fair enough trade."

"How's tomorrow? The sign out front says you have the day off."

"Not tomorrow. I already have plans."

"I hope you're not intending to waste your day off by spending it with some other guy."

The man's grin seemed wicked. "In fact, I am – though I'd hardly consider it wasting."

Such a candid admission wasn't expected. No matter, shake it off. It couldn't be anything too serious, or he wouldn't have agreed to go. "All right then, how about the next day in the evening?" He barely finished his sentence before the phone on the far wall began to ring.

"Monday night? That should wo—" He cut off as the ringing continued. "Excuse me." Kakei retrieved the offending phone and though Saiga thought for a second that maybe it would be rude to listen in on the conversation, he did so anyway. If it was Day-Off-Work-Date-Guy, he might be able to get a leg up on the competition.

"Green Drugstore, how may I help you? …Of course. What can I do for you?...Yes, I'll be there tomorrow. …All day. Longer if that's what it takes. …What specifically do you need? ….I can keep an eye out for it but I'm not going for business… …You said it wasn't urgent; I can wait too. …. Monday it is. I'll be there."

Kakei returned to the counter. Was it his imagination, or did the pharmacist look worried? No, it had to have been his imagination. "Not Monday, I take it."

"It seems I have a meeting that night as well."

"The same guy as tomorrow?" This time, his distaste for the idea was harder to keep out of his voice.

"No, a client. A local business woman."

"If you put me off for too long, I'm likely to learn my way around without you." The warning was playful, but seemed to work just the same.

"I'm free the next night. Be here at 6:00."

All too easy.


	3. Interlude: A Reason for Despair

Interlude 1: A Reason for Despair

She had never much been one for travel – she had done her fair share, and always, it was accompanied by a vague sense of approaching danger – but she herself had planned the upcoming trip. There was still that small bit of apprehension to be sure, but the stories she had heard dampened her fears and fueled her with encouragement. The others may have found the sudden shift in behavior to be odd, but nothing had been said to her directly. If the situation arose, she always had seniority on her side. Nothing was going to stop her from being at the appointed place the day after next. She was taking charge of her life for once and there was not a doubt in her mind that the one who had triggered the motivation and served as her role model would be proud.

_Everything will all turn out well._ In the beginning, it had been a mantra to cling to – the only thing that got her through the day – but by now, she had repeated the phrase so many times, she honestly believed it. _Everything will turn out._

Today, it felt good just to be off the property, even if it _was_ only an errand to the post office. It was even better that she was picking up the last items they needed before leaving. Everything else was already packed.

Being well known at the post office, her package was retrieved from the back room without the standard fuss of presenting identification. The postal worker assisting her – a fine looking gentleman, if a bit too thin – smiled at her. He _always_ smiled at her. _Everything will turn out. _She smiled back.

The parcel was wide but not deep. She knew what the contents were – or at least, knew what they should be – three brand new sets custom made for the special occasion and purchased with her own money.

She decided to open the package right there, telling herself that it was a good idea to check the contents in the case of an error. In truth, she simply did not want to return to the house right away. Pale yellow with morning glories, yes. Classic indigo and white in a more modern geometric pattern, yes. All the matching accessories, yes, they were there as well. But for her… A hand wandered subconsciously to her middle – to the small decoration that adorned her obi. It provided no comfort. For her, there was no burgundy kimono decorated with seasonally colored maple leaves. The garment in its place… It was a message. And a warning.

The faith she had built up over the last few weeks shattered. Nothing would ever be the same again. The smile on the watching postman's lips faltered as warm, wet trails began to stream down her cheeks.

--

Author's Note: Once again, we have more hints of a dark future, but not too much of substance. Thank you to all the people who are continuing to read this story. From my stats page it looks like the same number of people who read the original chapter went on to read chapter two - that's really encouraging! I hope you have the patience to see this story out. And I promise the next post will be more Saiga/Kakei interaction as they go on their date! See you in Chapter 3!


	4. Chapter 3: First Dates

Chapter 3: First Dates

His first official date with the manager of Green Drugstore went better than he could have hoped for given their previous dining experience, though by the end of the night he was even more confused than ever about the man he was pursuing. He felt fortunate for the few hints he_ had_ managed to pick up.

Kakei never wanted to make anything easier than it had to be. He seemed to relish in making others take the long road – as though it were an elaborate game he was playing with the world.

Though the shorter man had finally asked about the reason for his move – it was a little disappointing that Kakei had accepted his standard reply of, "It was time for a change," without the slightest hint of curiosity – Saiga noticed he skipped the basic questions like, 'What do you do for a living?' and 'Where are you from?' Instead, he favored asking things like, "How did you get that scar on your knuckle?" and "Where did you get your watch?" The scar that was barely even visible unless you knew where to look. The watch that had been given to him by his mentor.

Just another oddity to add to the mounting list.

There were several others. Like how Kakei would occasionally close his eyes while he was thinking. When he would reopen them, there would be this certain smile on this lips. There was something about that. And although the man was always perfectly calm and certainly not malevolent, he got the feeling that the pharmacist could be trouble. As though he didn't have enough of that in his life as it was.

Lucky for him, Kakei's game didn't seem to have any rules against touching. In fact, the pharmacist seemed unusually compliant for such a recent acquaintance. There were no flinches or widened eyes when Saiga took each opportunity he could to touch the other man. He restrained from being too familiar – settling instead for smaller, more affectionate gestures. The hand on the back as they walked through the door to the restaurant. The casual way he let his fingers linger against Kakei's skin when the man had rolled up his left sleeve to share his own story of childhood injury. The warming of Kakei's hands after the complaint about the temperature.

He took particular pride in that last one. It even managed to come off as a bit romantic, or so he liked to think. And apparently so did a small curly haired girl whose face seemed to light up as she stared on in awe – at least, until her parents pulled her away.

He was confident he could have gotten a nice good night kiss out of the whole deal, but increasingly as the night wore on, even when he would touch the other man, when all the actions said that Saiga was in complete and total control, he began to feel that somehow, it was the other man who was holding all the cards. It was troubling, and so when the moment came, when he had a hand on Kakei's cheek, and the other man already had his eyes closed, he decided to play a little game of his own.

Instead of leaning down for the expected kiss, he kept a distance and observed his date's reactions as he moved his hand gently across the smooth, soft skin of Kakei's cheek. A simple, unhurried caress. Kakei, as compliant as expected, leaned into the gesture. After a moments pause, the motion was repeated on the other side to the same result.

With the preliminary test out of the way, Saiga brought his hands down to the lips he had been neglecting and studied the feel of them under his fingertips. The man was so pliable that Saiga wondered just how far Kakei would let him go before he pushed back. He was sorely tempted to find out.

For his part, Kakei gave better access to the inspection by tilting his head back and parting his lips ever so slightly. Saiga used the opportunity to push just beyond Kakei's lips and skimmed the tip of his thumb along the front edge of Kakei's top row of teeth while the bottom pad of his finger remained in contact with his subject's lower lip. That slight parting of the lips widened and there was a subtle squint to Kakei's eyes that made the man look suspiciously like he was letting out a silent moan.

Unable to keep his mind from straying to other scenarios where that expression might be employed, Saiga forced himself to retreat. Skipping the kiss would lose its meaning if he found himself unwilling to stop the natural progression of his actions.

Oddly enough, when Kakei reopened his eyes, he appeared to be pleased. He even let out a soft chuckle. "I was right about you, after all. You _are_ a romantic."

_After all_? Had he done anything that would suggest otherwise? Harbored thoughts that probably fell into a less idealistic catagory? Yes. Been tempted to act on those thoughts? More than once. But actually done anything…?

* * *

Despite his guide's claim that the restaurant they were headed to was very popular and that there was often an extended wait time to be seated if you arrived late, he seemed to be in no hurry to get there. Chalk it up to an unconscious desire to spend more time with his oh-so-irresistible self maybe, but then again, with Kakei, he suspected there was more to it than that.

As luck had it, they arrived just as several small parties of dinners were leaving. With no wait, they were led to a table near the back, off to the side and out of the way of the majority of the restaurant patrons. It would have been perfect if not for the comings and goings of the staff. The restaurant's specialty was Vietnamese cuisine, though they also had a small selection of Chinese and Japanese dishes as well. As promised, the food was quite good – as was the service. But then, how could he complain about the waitress who had leaned down to whisper, "You're so lucky! Your date… The way he looks at you whenever your attention is somewhere else? It's subtle, but… I wish I had someone to look at me like that!" True or not – he never was able to catch the man in the act – that girl got a more than generous tip.

Kakei hadn't asked. He didn't appear to be the least bit interested in what a cute young girl would want to be telling him in secret. Still, he felt the need to say _something_. "She thinks we look perfect together."

"Is that right?" His tone made it apparent that he knew it was a lie.

When the waitress returned later to present the bill, Kakei gave her a sweet smile and said, "I do hope you won't be whispering more secrets to my companion. I might get jealous." And then he had laughed as if it were a joke.

It wasn't the kind of thing Saiga found funny. It wasn't that he _wanted_ a jealous date, but a jealous date was better than a disinterested one, at least when it came to the man seated across from him

After dinner, they had gone on the promised tour of the area. The whole of Shimokitazawa was a warren of tiny shops and inviting cafes, affordable apartments and crowded bars, all jumbled next to each other and connected by a maze of narrow streets. The second hand clothes dealer had racks of shirts and jeans crowded in front of the store so closely you could barely even make out the entrance to the shop. The man selling character goods more than made up for his nearly nonexistent store front by plastering every square inch of window with signs too bright to miss. They passed more than one group of armature musicians. Some were surprisingly good, others would have been better off staying home.

Even if Kakei hadn't turned out to be so intriguing, he still would have been glad for the guide. It would have been easy to get lost wandering around on his own. And with so many people his own age in the area, it was going be easy to blend in. The place was perfect for him.

During a short stop at an eclectic little store, Kakei had helped him pick out some items for his new apartment. Or maybe 'helped' wasn't really the right word since not two minutes into their perusal of the shop, the smaller man had pointed to a great heap of items under a table and said, "Ah. Saiga-san. Look over here. There is something I think you would like." And he had – enough to buy them and pay the extra 1500 yen to have them delivered to his apartment the next day since he had no intention of hauling them about the area the remainder of the night.

He hadn't mentioned that he needed a new set of floor lamps. His old ones had been so junky, it hadn't been worth the effort to move them. He had tossed them out on big rubbish day two weeks ago along with several larger pieces of furniture. The other pieces had been replaced immediately – purchased ahead of time and delivered on moving day. Replacement of the lamps was put off when he came down sick.

After that, there was no way he would believe the man was the simple drugstore owner he claimed to be. If Kakei really was like him as he suspected, all that was left was to learn the nature of the man's gift. There was no rush, he could wait for that to come out on its own.

His rational side tried to tell him to keep the possibility open that Kakei could be dangerous for him. That this could all be an elaborate trap. He refused to think about it. He couldn't explain why, but he trusted the man. He could only hope that his trust wasn't just wishful thinking.

It helped that Kakei introduced the area as though there was no doubt that he would be living here for years to come. He pointed out which restaurants had the best food and which should be avoided at all cost, which bars had the best atmosphere and which were too popular to enjoy. Then adding that he would find these things out on his own, he warned about how one particular street had a tendency to flood every June and how the narrow roads sometimes made getting around difficult when it snowed.

After full dark, they stopped in a quiet little park to rest their feet. That was when Kakei had complained about the temperature. It was still warm enough during the daylight hours but after the sun went down, the fall chill crept into the air. It was on impulse that he reached out to grab one of Kakei's hands. Telling himself to trust his gut about the man, he worked the cold out of the long, slender fingers. One at a time, he gave each hand his undivided attention. As least, until Kakei let out a soft giggle. When he looked up to see what was funny, he followed the smaller man's gaze to a little girl, staring at them as if seeing something utterly amazing. Caught up in wondering if this girl too had caught Kakei watching him like the waitress had claimed, it took him a moment before he realized that it was odd that the girl's parents had brought her to play by herself at the park so late.

After the park, it was back to the Green Drugstore. The agreement had been for dinner and a tour. He wasn't going to force his luck, though he couldn't help but to push his case for future interaction. "So you live here too. Sounds to me like you work too much."

"Hmm…You think so? Maybe you're right."

He turned up the charm a notch. This was a perfect opportunity. "I'd be happy to help you find a reason to take more time off." And though the way he had said it wasn't quite innocent, surely that hadn't counted against him.

Kakei hadn't seemed to mind the implications at the time. He'd merely laughed and went on to explain his plans for possibly hiring some help in the future. "Maybe a couple of teenagers that are willing to work hard for their pay," he had said, sounding a bit mischievous. That was what had convinced him that he wasn't the only one Kakei liked to toy with. It was just in the man's nature.

There hadn't been anything else – just a few words that he couldn't remember because Kakei had moved a step closer and because maybe his heart was beating just a little bit faster than it usually did at the end of a date. So unless the man could read his mind – which, though not impossible, he highly doubted – there was nothing for Kakei's comment to have been based on.

* * *

As he came back to himself, Kakei had a question on his lips, but he didn't ask. He said, "Friday," and moved forward to close the space Saiga had created in his retreat, placed one of those warm slender hands on his chest, and tipped his head back to look directly at him. "There is an old theater around here. They never play the newest movies, but I haven't had a chance to see one in a long time." Saiga met his gaze as he continued. "On Friday, if I were to rearrange my schedule, would you be able to come?" It was the first time all night that he had the opportunity to really study Kakei's eyes – the first time Kakei had let him. There was a sadness there now that he didn't like, something vulnerable.

While assuring that, yes, he thought he would be able to find the time to go, Saiga realized that maybe for the first time in his life, he didn't like being the one in control.

* * *

Author's Note: Unfortunately, I think Chapter 4 is going to take even longer to get out than this one. My writing muscles are weak. These multi-chapter things kind of wear me out! For everyone who continues to read, despite the long breaks: Thank you very much! ^^


	5. Prequel Interlude: A Reason for Change

Interlude: A Reason for Change

You'd had a bit too much to drink. You both had. It was a convenient thing, living so close to the bar with the Wednesday night beer special. Convenient enough that the two of you had walked back to his apartment. You had only meant to see him home safely. Just that, then you would see _yourself_ to the subway station. And home.

That was not what happened.

You hadn't refused when he invited you into his apartment – had trouble remembering the reason you should say no. The door barely had time enough to close before he had his lips pressed to yours. His mouth was warm and soft but the taste of liquor that you knew was there didn't register.

Earlier that night you had decided that you wouldn't see him again. He wasn't exactly the most brilliant guy out there, he had this annoying habit of laughing far too loudly at things that weren't funny, and he had been offended when you had asked – subtly mind you – what he thought of the fortune teller who had set up shop down the street. He would be a hard one to convince if it ever came to that. And that assumed he didn't just outright laugh and walk away on the spot. He did have his good points, though the only ones you could think of at that moment were his looks and more than decent kissing skills – skills he made proper use of as he began tugging irritably at your shirt.

There wasn't any harm in having a little fun if you were responsible about it, right? It made enough sense at the time.

Minutes passed and you had moved from the door to his bedroom. Your shirt was hanging on by only one arm. He was lying on his. Things seemed to be progressing in a good direction but something was beginning to feel off. While you kissed his neck, you had trouble getting past the overpowering scent of cologne. When you stopped, it was the ugly pattern of the bedspread that held your attention.

Maybe the alcohol was starting to lose its effect. Maybe it was the way he sneezed after pulling away from a kiss. You pulled your shirt back on, redid the top button on your pants, and headed to the door. He called your name. He wanted you to go back, wanted an explanation. As his expression turned from confusion to hurt, you knew you had made the right choice because the only thing you felt was relief.

The earth was pleasantly still as you walked your way to the subway and though the station was greatly lacking in patrons due to the time and the day, you didn't notice the quiet. The thoughts in your head were more than enough to make up for the external peace.

The ride home was a blur – a strange contradiction considering that while your dulled senses seemed to be recovering, the remaining alcohol in your system still managed to give you thoughts of enhanced clarity.

A strange idea had been creeping up lately and in that not quite sober state, you found yourself willing to entertain the notion – the thought that said you're getting to be at an age where maybe you should have found someone. And not just anyone, a person that could really mean something to you. How were you supposed to do that if you weren't even giving anyone a fair chance?

If you had given the guy tonight more time, maybe his flaws wouldn't have felt so overwhelming. Maybe you would have been able to remember that he is energetic and sincere. Maybe you would have found those qualities endearing.

You squashed both thoughts. To the one that said maybe you should have given tonight's date another chance, you merely laughed. It was easy to tell he wasn't for you. You told the one that said it was time to have a serious relationship to buzz off. You're young. You still have plenty of time, plenty of opportunities. While you knew that no one was going to just show up with a sign reading, "Saiga, I'm the one you're going to spend the rest of your life with," you still felt convinced that you hadn't actually missed your chance, not yet.

It was just as you were returning to your usual confident self that you arrived home and set about the normal routine: get the mail, check the answering machine, pour a glass of water, and pull out a cigarette. You sifted through the mail first – a bill, two advertisements, and a letter – before lighting the cigarette. The effort was wasted; your cigarette burned itself to ash in the sink. The letter stood out. You opened and read the handwritten note before double checking the name and address on the envelope. That was a problem.

It could be nothing. The wording was cordial and polite but with an underlying desperation that spoke of truth.

It could be deadly. How had you been found in the first place? How many people knew where to find you? Knew your full name? Who was it that would give that information to others? Who else would they tell?

It only took a matter of minutes before you began to wonder just how fast a man could move his entire life to a new city. You had a bit of extra cash, you could stay somewhere else while you made the arrangements. Tokyo had always sounded like it might be an exciting place to live and at your age it should be easy to blend in to any of the major youth wards. Shimokitazawa was supposed to be a hard place to find anything twice. It was just what you needed.

--

Author's Note - I'll spare the lecturing and leave it at this: I really hate the fact that Saiga smokes and while I usually prefer to just avoid that fact all together in my writing, it seemed to fit here. Though, doesn't it seem that he doesn't so much smoke as he just lets lit cigarettes dangle between his lips?

ATTENTION: Okay guys, I need your help. I don't like asking for reviews, but I'm asking now. I need to know if you understood that this interlude was set prior to the main story line and that the guy Saiga was leaving was not Kakei. A simple, "Yes, I got it," or "No, I was confused," will suffice. It would really be a great help. I want to fix the story if there is something wrong.


	6. Chapter 4: Missing Treasures

Chapter 4 - Missing Treasures

Saiga set off for the train station lacking the worry that usually gnawed at him every time he thought of this meeting. He didn't _have_ to go. He knew it could be dangerous, but not going could be dangerous as well. More so.

Someone out there knew about him. Knew about his highly sought after skill. Knew where he had lived. That someone was giving all that information away without his consent. He needed to find out who that person was.

There was no telling what kind of unsavory characters would have been knocking on his door if he hadn't moved. That was assuming they _would_ knock and wouldn't just let themselves in and drag him away while he slept. One such as himself had to be cautious. He had learned that lesson at a young age and was grateful to this day that he hadn't had to learn it firsthand.

He was going to get this business out of the way, find out how the woman had found him, and be on his way to dealing with the situation this very evening. Tomorrow, he would be able to focus all his attention on more pleasurable pursuits and with any luck, he would be able to keep that unsettling expression off Kakei's face.

Kakei had been worrying about something and in his experience, men like Kakei don't expose themselves like that without good cause. It couldn't have been that he was afraid his invitation would be rejected. Saiga was certain he had made it clear enough during the course of the evening that he was interested in seeing more of the pretty store manager. Hopefully, it had nothing to do with that other man from the phone call the other day. The man Kakei spent all of his day off with. The man he went to see about something that was, "not business."

Maybe if he kissed the druggist next time, they could avoid a repeat of that look. It was an idea worth testing – perhaps more than once.

A date at the movies. Such a simple date seemed in contradiction to the man who had made the suggestion. But there was time enough to ponder that later. For now, he needed to stop thinking about Kakei. He had other priorities today.

He would usually decline a request for a personal meeting, but this case was unique and the woman had allowed him to specify the location. She was going to a lot of effort for this, even going so far as to pay more than double his usual rate.

The train left for Shizuoka in the morning. From there he would take a cab to the meeting place – a restaurant he had been to before. He had done work for the owner a few years ago, though the man would not be able to recognize him. It should be as safe a place as any. Far enough away that he could be certain the location was not a give away to his new residence and the extra travel time would allow him to make sure no one followed him home.

* * *

The restaurant was decently sized, but when Saiga arrived nearly every table in the main room was full. There were doors on the back wall that led to more dining areas. These areas would be opened for dinner or they could be reserved for private use as one of them had been today.

He strolled into the appointed room and was immediately greeted by a well-put-together elderly woman. She had her grayed hair pulled neatly into a bun and her clothes lay to form the perfect straight lines appropriate for traditional dress. It wasn't too uncommon to see women her age still wearing kimono, especially out in these more remote areas, but the true oddity was the coloration of her garb. The solid black kimono bore no design along the bottom hem and the obi and its accessories were also unadorned black; she was a woman in mourning. In resigned tones, she introduced herself as a Ms. Oohara, the woman from the letter, and his current client.

Oohara looked over toward a door that most likely led to an adjoining room as she sat down, then stood and offered him tea, which he politely declined. She left to retrieve some anyway, "In case you change your mind."

He sat with only the soft murmurs from the other side of the wall to keep him company for more time than it would have taken to make the tea herself before she returned with a young man, a waiter, carrying a tray with two empty cups and a steaming pot. He set the tray on the table and left twice as quickly as he had come. Oohara remained standing until he was gone and the door to the main dining area was completely closed.

Despite his insistence that he was not thirsty, she poured them both a serving. Once full, she began to lift her cup, then set it back down immediately when her hand shook. Taking a deep breath, she tried again, this time succeeding in her task.

He leaned back in his chair – no need to let her know he was uneasy – and decided to cut straight to the point. "You want me to find someone?"

"Hmm? Find some—? No! …no." She set her cup back on the table before continuing. "Not a person. An item. A small thing, really. It doesn't have much monetary value."

That wasn't what she had implied in her letter. It didn't matter. It had never been the task that worried him. "Could you describe it?"

"Describe?"

"I can't find anything if I don't know what I'm looking for."

"Oh yes, of course. I'm terribly sorry. Please tell me what you need to know."

"The usual things. What does it look like? Where was it last seen? If you have a picture or even a drawing, it will help."

"I can do better than a picture." And to this, she seemed unreasonably unexcited. There was a brief instant of pause, just long enough to notice, before she reached one hand beneath the layers of her obi to retrieve a small cloth wrapped bundle. She leaned across the table to hand the item to Saiga while using her free hand to hold the sleeve of her mofuku out of the tea. "It looks exactly like this."

Beneath the wrappings was a smooth, flat, cream stone, the image of a plum blossom delicately carved into its surface. It looked like a brooch or maybe…he turned the accessory over to reveal a narrow rectangular hollow. It was a traditional obi accessory, an obi-dome. "They are a set. Its match…" She spared another glace to the other room, this time just moving her eyes. "It could be somewhere in Tokyo, though I'm not certain."

"I'm sure this will be enough. I'll contact you when I have the results." He stood then, moved to place himself between her and the room she kept glancing at; it was time to get the information he had come for.

He was a tall man to begin with, and with her still sitting, he towered over her. He extended his hand with the accessory, but did not let go when she put out hers to retrieve the item. She could only crane her neck up to watch him as he spoke in a soft voice. "But before that –"

He didn't even have to get the full question out. Whether she knew what he was planning to ask or if it was pure coincidence, her voice was soft but clear and her eyes were firmly focused on his. "That's a lovely watch you have. You don't see many like that – though I'm certain I know a man who once had one just like it..." She trailed off for a moment before coming back to herself. "I am sure it's something you cherish, as I do my little treasure." For some reason, he wasn't sure if she was speaking of the accessory she had asked him to find or the one in his hand. She stood to take the accessory back, wrapped the item neatly in its cloth, and tucked it back behind the layers of her obi.

He didn't need a name anymore. Someone who oncehad a watch _just_ like his. His watch was one of a kind – the elaborate patterns etched into the metal, the work of a grateful artist. She could only be referring to one person.

Kakei had commented on his watch as well, but the wording hadn't been so direct. His could have still been an innocent question. That annoying bit of doubt crept back and he squashed it immediately – no need to let it fester – if that man were a trap, Saiga would have been caught already.

The man who gave him his watch was also the one who taught him to be careful in his work. People can be dangerous. Even those you least suspect. _Especially_ those you least suspect. If he was the one who told this woman about him, he should be safe, but though the woman herself appeared to be harmless, she was nervous. There was still more to this than he knew. He had worked strange jobs before, but something was all together wrong here.

As one final precaution, he decided not to head home straight away. He left the restaurant by foot and walked about an hour – long enough to feel confident he wasn't being tailed – before taking a room at a small traditional inn.

Four weeks. Four week maximum – two if he worked hard and didn't run into unforeseen difficulties – and he would have this job complete. The sooner this was over, the better and there was no reason not to start right away, even if it was still only midway through the afternoon.

He took only enough time to set his things down by the futon, complete a quick but thorough search of the room – memorizing every detail he could while he was at it, and lock the window and door before he laid himself down. He took a few slow, deep breaths, concentrated on the feel of air moving against the tip of his nose, and made sure to rid his lungs of all the stale air that was sure to have built up over the day. He put himself to sleep and waited.

For most people, the passage of time feels different while sleeping. What takes hours in the waking world can feel as though it passes in only a few minutes. This was not always the case for Saiga. When he regained his self-awareness in the dreamlike state he so often worked in – he was laying on a futon in a place that looked exactly like the room he had taken for the night – he was finally ready to shift his focus to the small fashion accessory.

He stood, closed what he perceived to be his eyes, slowed the intake of the dream air into his lungs, and _searched_. Behind closed eyes, he could feel the world shifting around him, rearranging. Drawing him toward the object he sought.

He _thought_ he was trying to find Oohara's keepsake. Just because there was a possibility that the accessory might be somewhere in Tokyo was not a good enough excuse to waste his client's money or more importantly, his time, by allowing his mind to wander to his new love interest's workplace.

Though it was a surprise to find himself standing just outside Green Drugstore, what wasn't a surprise was the foggy image of a man inside moving slowly down an aisle stocking shelves, toiling away with no help in sight. The haze didn't allow him to make out the man's features, but there was no doubt as to who it was. The haze had nothing to do with the glass window between them. It was a confirmation of suspicions. If Kakei were not like him, if he didn't have a unique gift of his own, Saiga would have been able to see him with all the clarity as the rest of the store.

He drew himself back to his inn room. Started over from the beginning. He took a few minutes to regain his focus – now that he was more curious than ever to find out what Kakei was keeping hidden, he would have to be extra careful not to become distracted – and tried again.

He knew Kakei had been occupying his thoughts since he first met him, but he didn't honestly think he had so little self-control. Again, he found himself at Green Drugstore, this time at the back of the store. The important difference though was by the door up front with Kakei – a new person, a woman who had a wispy look about her. So she had a talent as well, if not as strongly as Kakei. If Kakei was purposely associating himself with others like him… Just what was he up to? Nothing dangerous Saiga hoped, though that didn't seem too likely.

The woman was saying something but he tried not to listen. He only heard a few words about some woman at a park before he started back at the beginning again. It was one thing to listen in on a conversation when the speaker knew you were there. It was quite another to listen in when the person had no way of knowing you could hear – when you shouldn't even be there in the first place.

The third time he came to Kakei's store – he was in office next to the desk this time – was as much a surprise as the previous times, because there was a new voice, but no new person. Kakei was sitting in the same chair he had used when he'd eaten lunch with Saiga the other day and the wispy woman had stolen the couch where Saiga had sat. There was no one else in the room to see but the voice was coming from the direction of the other two people. That could only mean one thing that he knew of – there was someone in the room who had a talent more strongly than he had his own. It was rare that he found anyone with an ability more powerful than his and it made him worry.

He left before he learned more than he wanted to know – before he learned something he would feel the need to confront Kakei about.

It was something of a relief when he found himself back in the office but with no one else there. He made sure to feel for the other person as well. He may not be able to see her, but he would still be able to tell if she were there or not. It took more effort, but it was certainly not impossible. His talent had little to do with the actual seeing anyway. It was easier when it worked that way, that was all. It was actually that part of his gift that made him so damn good at what he did. He could find virtually anything and anyone regardless of who they were or what special abilities they might have. He knew several other people whose gifts were completely useless against someone with greater abilities.

He was about to start back at the beginning when an ominous thought occurred to him. He stayed and visualized the object he sought – imagined how its twin had felt against his palm, smooth and heavy for its size. Saw the color and the shape of the petals.

He wasn't really in the store of course, so he couldn't move anything around but he became convinced that it was in the desk drawer, as sure as if he could remember putting it there himself. All this time he had been chastising himself, thinking he was allowing himself to be pulled to the wrong place by a pretty face when in fact, he had been right on target all along. Each attempt had brought him closer to his goal. In a way, Kakei had been a distraction after all, just not in the way he had been thinking.

He hadn't expected to find the item so easily but that wasn't the thought that concerned him. Kakei was a mysterious man all right. Was it a coincidence that Oohara's trinket was in his desk? Who were those people he was meeting with?

Saiga contemplated his own meeting earlier in the day. Oohara's unsteady hand, the barely there pauses, the looks over the shoulder, they made him uncomfortable. It was enough to ruin his concentration. With a jolt, he woke up.


	7. Chapter 5: Unavoided Traps

Chapter 5 – Unavoided Traps

It had only taken a few seconds for him to know that he was not going to get anywhere. The strength of her power changed things, made them faint, uncertain. "I'm sorry. I cannot see anything."

Himura was quite for a few moments. She stared at her hands as they rested in her lap. In a voice barely audible she said, "What if it's all true? Tsukiko was only playing on the swings – nothing else – and that woman I told you about, she picked her out. She _knew_. Just looking and she knew. When someone can do things like that… When someone like that has a warning, you listen."

Kakei could not tell her what she wanted to hear – that there were not people out there set on gathering children with special abilities. He already knew of one boy who was wanted. A boy he knew he would one day shelter. A boy he had arranged his life so that he could protect. That boy and those dear to him. And even though that was still a ways off, events were already beginning to pull together. Saiga was here. He was another one that could benefit from his store.

"I might be able to see something through someone else close to her. Maybe if I could read Rikuou-kun…" It was not pure good intention that led him to offer. He was known for being somewhat devious and the reputation was not completely unfounded. He needed to learn everything he could about this group - who they were, what their ultimate goal was. The information might prove critical in the future. He might have the ability to see the future, but that did not mean he knew everything.

Himura perked up slightly, glad for the distraction. "Ah, he's at his club right now."

"He plays soccer and he's really good, too!" Tsukiko jumped in to brag.

"Is that so?"

"Uh-huh! I get to watch his games sometimes and he always scores the most points."

"Tsukiko, that's not very polite," The girl's mother chided gently before returning her attention to Kakei, content that her daughter looked suitably embarrassed. "He doesn't really have time with that and school work to make it over here on a weekday. I'll stop him by Saturday afternoon."

It was as his guests were leaving that Kakei had a flash. It was nothing new – he'd had the same vision for the first time more than ten years ago – but the time was drawing closer. Just a few years more and the Himura children would be on their own.

* * *

If Saiga hadn't been so preoccupied with his thoughts, he would have heard the soft pattering of small feet fleeing the hall as he stepped out of his room. He could always contact the old woman and cancel their agreement. The next step after location was bound to be retrieval and Saiga had little desire to be responsible for a robbery on Kakei's store. He was fairly certain that wasn't the kind of behavior the pharmacy owner would appreciate out of a potential lover. Perhaps he lacked the proper degree of professionalism, but his personal life was more important that a job. Or maybe it was just the excuse he'd been looking for to quit while he was ahead. He'd already learned all he needed to know from his client. He could wash his hands of this business and move on before he found out what it was that made Oohara so nervous. He'd seen the local post office on his way to the restaurant earlier; he could stop there and send out the note.

The hall was quiet as he headed toward the main exit, so when he hear voices, not necessary loud, but not unusually hushed either, his ears picked up the sounds with little effort. The inflections indicated some sort of argument. He should have taken the hint and headed back the way he came. He could have left though the window in his room if nothing else.

Since he didn't, he was able to catch the last bits of the conversation, "…pen to them without you? Don't start getting any ideas, _sensei,_" before rounding a corner to find his client in the company of a somewhat short man with an average build. The middle-aged man had close-cropped hair and wore a dark brown suit with no tie to compliment his serious demeanor. What Saiga guessed was a perpetual sneer marred what might have been reasonably attractive features had the man been a decade to two younger. This was just the kind of trouble he had been working hard to avoid.

"Oohara-san," he began as smoothly as though he had not just interrupted an argument he was not meant to hear, as though he had expected to find her here and had no disapproval for the now obvious fact that he had been followed from the moment he left his meeting that afternoon. He began and stopped, pointedly looking at the man standing in front of his client. The man remained where he was, unwilling to take the cue to leave.

Oohara took a quick glace between the two of them – the same mannerisms from their earlier meeting only more pronounced. "Saiga-san…. Please. If you have something to say… You can go ahead. This is—"

Here the man spoke up in a hurry. "I'm her nephew." And Saiga noticed something then as the man gestured to himself. The glint of familiar metal. The same brand and style of watch that adorned Saiga's wrist rested on this man's as well. It lacked the delicate engravings that Saiga's had but still… too many coincidences. The huge smile the man plastered across his face made him look slimy – like a tonic salesman trying to pass sewage off as rosewater. Saiga was prepared to automatically assume that anything coming out of his mouth was going to be a lie. This man settled things. Something clicked in Saiga's mind, the decision was made and there would be no going back. If Oohara was helping men like this, there was nothing he could do for her.

"I'm sorry, Oohara-san," he made a point to look only at the woman. "I'm not going to be able to help you." That was all there was to it. He apologized for raising her hopes, and shifted his weight in preparation to take a step in the direction of the exit.

The salesman spoke up again. "Just a minute, Saiga-_san_." He stressed the honorific as though he was being extraordinarily kind in giving out common courtesy. "I have been told you are the best there is in this business. If… my aunt's keepsake were anywhere in Japan, they said, _you_ would be able to find it. And here you are giving up so easily? You cannot even find a worthless piece of rock!" The man was a poor actor. He didn't even bother to hide the scorn in his voice at the description of the item.

It seemed the truth of the matter was slowly revealing itself – who the true client was, what exactly they were looking for, not the accessory itself, that was clear enough by now. The man's condescending tone marked him as someone to be handled carefully, but Saiga wasn't going to be goaded into helping this rat. There were still pieces missing but, no matter what the reason for Kakei to have the obi-dome, Saiga had absolutely no desire to lead sleazy men like the one standing in front of him to Green Drugstore. In fact, he had no desire to help a man like this regardless of who else was involved. "Maybe you should start looking outside the country then."

This time he did start to leave. He made it all the way to the door where a pair of heavily muscled men were waiting for him. They stood, unmoving, watching not Saiga, but their apparent leader – awaiting orders. Behind him, Slime Man cleared his throat. "I suggest you try again. You wouldn't want a black mark on such a clean professional record."

"More time isn't going to change anything." This was worse than getting rid of a bad date and probably a lot more risky. He would be better off if he could manage to be a bit more diplomatic, but the necessary patience for that failed him.

"I'll only ask this once more for you to reconsider." The man was an arrogant son of a bitch as well as a sleaze.

"I can't put it any more simply." It was a matter of principle as much as it was for his own safety that Saiga had made it a point to avoid men like this in the past. The kind that was willing to do anything to get what they want. The kind that would relish in the suffering of others if it brought them closer to their goal. It was these kinds of men, perhaps even these same exact men, that had been the cause of his mentor's "accident" and it was that accident that gained him his watch. A watch wasn't much good without a wrist to put it on.

"I think you're lying to me. I think you know exactly where it is." The man's voice reminded him of a snake slowly curling against its self, smooth and relaxed but still dangerous. Saiga finally turned from the door to face his accuser. "What do you think Koji-kun?" And for the first time, he noticed someone hiding in the corner shadows. Had he been there before? "Do you think he is lying?"

The young man, barely an adult really, took only a moment to study him before he began to nod his head – slowly at first and then with more vigor and for a longer amount of time than most people would consider necessary.

"Mmmm, I thought so. Saiga-san, it looks like we have ourselves a problem." Now he was a teacher administering a much-deserved reprimand.

Saiga was a strong man but he never had taken an interest in fighting. There were so many other, more pleasurable ways for a person to spend their time.

When the men at the door rushed him from behind, he managed to get in a few well-placed swings before being tackled to the ground. He was fairly sure he broke a finger or two giving one of the guards a black eye. It was a damn shame. He could think of a good number of things that hand would have been good for on his next date with Kakei.

* * *

The room Saiga found himself in was not like those he had been in at the ryokan. It might just be a different area, or it could be a different building all together. He was seated in a rather uncomfortable wooden chair with his legs spread apart and tied separately to the opposing front chair legs. The wrappings were tied above the horizontal supporting bar so it would be impossible to just tip the chair back and slide the bindings off. His hands, tied behind the chair back were laced together tightly enough that the chair dug into the flesh of his arms.

He shifted around as much as he could to get a look at the chair itself. It looked sturdy. Even if he tipped himself over completely, it was unlikely that the chair would break. He took to studying the room instead. An opportunity would come for him. He just had to be patient and vigilant. He'd been in worst situations before. That was what he told himself.

There were heavy curtains over the windows that made it impossible to determine the time of day and one of the light bulbs in the room was about to go out. The flicker-flicker off to his right was what first caught his attention. Next, it was the incessant hum associated with the dying bulb that started bothering him. He tried to ignore it – there were four other men in the room that were a much greater cause for concern. There was the leader, Oohara's "nephew"; the two guards from earlier, one complete with black eye – he afforded himself a small smile at that; and one new person.

The new man spoke first. "The Founder isn't going to be very happy about this. He's an outsider." Despite his words, he didn't sound worried. He was amused if anything.

"That old man is practically on his death bed. Besides, we're not going to _kill_ him. Disposing of bodies is too much of a pain for a guy like this. He's no danger to us." And the man laughed. "He just needs to be punished a bit for his insubordination. Something to make him a bit more amenable to helping us, in case we need him in the future."

"It will be as you say then. This time tomorrow, he won't be able to see a thing." Yes, amused was a suitable word, but the longer he watched the man, the more Saiga thought "delighted" might be even more appropriate.

"I'm glad to be working with a man who enjoys his trade. Still, a whole day to take effect? We have better things to do then sit around waiting for your charm to start working."

"You could have hired that other guy – he'd be quicker about it – but good luck even finding him. I heard he has some pet project of his own." The man who had been speaking went to a small leather bag lying on the floor and pulled out a cloth covered roll and a small bottle. There was no telling what was in either until he unrolled the parcel and retrieved what looked like a scalpel from across the room. The bottle, he shook as you would a pot of ink, though from what Saiga could tell, the container looked empty. "Oh, look. He's awake already. Gentlemen," he addressed the two grunts, "come hold him down. He'll ruin everything if he squirms about. Too much blood."

"Don't be foolish, Doctor. If it's that much of a problem, just knock him out first."

"I don't have the necessary drugs for that."

"I never said you had to be gentle about it." The leader reached a hand underneath his jacket before starting toward Saiga's spot along the wall, walking with large quick steps, walking with purpose. It would be Saiga's last memory of that room.

* * *

There was a solid _thud_ from the next room over before all went silent. Etsuko adjusted her collars, though they were perfectly aligned already. She had brought that man here to find her sister and now he was her responsibility.

She had been careful. Only speaking briefly with each informant in public so as not to arouse suspicion. Sending out only written letters – not once did she make a phone call – on her regular schedule. One extra should not have been noticed. Special plans were made so that she could pay her bills without drawing notice. Yes, she had been careful, but they had still found out. They had carried out her worst fears before she could give her warnings.

The door slid open without notice. "Sensei? You need my help?"

There was no one left to call her by name anymore. She was only "sensei" or "obaa-san." The former was better. She didn't feel old, though she knew she was, and she had never married – not willing to make her mother's mistake – let alone had children of her own.

It was okay though. Narumi had never married either.

Without husbands, they had each worked to support themselves. Narumi had used her talent to earn her living from the start. Work would take her all over the county and sometimes to China or Korea as well. She had always been energetic like that. Despite all the travel on her sister's part, it never felt like they were truly separated. One letter every other week for each of them any time they were apart – which was more often the case than not. Phones – and recently, email – were all very well. Convenient to be sure, but not safe and they lacked the personal warmth a handwritten letter gave. A conversation decades long filled box upon box in her room back in Gifu. She had a sudden longing to re-read some of those letters. When tears began to well in her eyes, she decided that maybe it was best that she didn't have access to them at the moment.

Their topic of discussion had been increasingly dangerous the last few years and Narumi had thought that maybe they should be doing something more than ranting to each other. Their plan was nearly ready for execution when the letters stopped coming. Etsuko had told herself she was just being paranoid, that it wasn't unheard of for a letter to be delayed or even lost in the mail, that everything would turn out well.

She touched her obi, felt the small fabric wrapped treasure she now kept hidden beneath its layers. The two of them had been as much a pair as the set of obi-dome, the gifts that had been created for them before they were even born – carved with all the love left to the brokenhearted man who had cherished their mother. For Narumi to have given her treasure away, she must have known her time was coming.

Wherever the obi-dome was, she wished its new owner good fortune and safety. They would undoubtedly need it. Those men would stop at nothing to find anyone who may have information about their organization. They knew the importance the obi-dome held for the Oohara sisters. They knew one should have been recovered with Narumi. Maybe Narumi had given more away than just a trinket, they reasoned. Maybe she'd given information as well. It was a likely assumption, though Etsuko would never confirm that for them.

"Yes child. I need you to use your talent. You will have to be very careful. You will have to be very brave. Can you do this?"

"We're going to help the stranger, aren't we?"

"Yes." She picked at her mofuku again subconsciously. The kimono had been given to her as a warning. An unwritten message saying, 'Look what we did to your precious sister. Look what we will do to you.' She would wear the cursed thing just to spite them.

"Then we can finish our trip and be at the festival by tomorrow?"

There was no point in going anymore, everyone but the children knew the festival was a charade. "Yes."

"Brother was excited about this trip until he learned it would be with _them_. He never likes it when they come around at home. They make him nervous. I think he'll be happy if I help the stranger! I can be brave and I'll be extra careful."

This child and her brother, they were sweet children. They didn't deserve the fate they had been given – living in that big house with only each other for company, the only exceptions being for their lessons and the rare odd job off the property. If only she could have helped them more. If only she and her sister had been able to carry out their plan. If only Narumi were still alive.


	8. Chapter 6: Mistaken Pieces

Chapter 6 – Mistaken Pieces

It was just past dark when Kakei decided he needed to wrap things up at the store. He had a date he needed to be getting ready for but a sudden noise drew his attention away from his work. Someone was pounding on the storefront window – kids no doubt, or maybe an early drunk from that club two blocks over. Kakei rose from his desk chair and flicked the nearest light switch to illuminate the area in front of him.

What he saw wasn't kids and though the man was very carefully walking his way over to the door, one hand against the window glass for support, he was certainly not a drunk. The man held a pair of open sunglasses as though he had only just taken them off despite the hour.

This was the moment he had been given a week to prepare himself for. Kakei had spent the time in research, knowing the information could be needed just as easily the next day as five years from now. He hadn't honestly expected to need what he had gained so soon.

For all the physical preparations, he was in no way ready to witness the scene emotionally. That he had only met the man last week was of no consequence – the man who was now standing outside his store with eyes swollen tight enough that with effort, they could only be opened the tiniest amount. The man with lids scabbed over in a way that made it look as though the top layer of flesh had been torn off. For all Kakei knew, it might not be far from the truth. The trails of dried blood that had run down the man's cheeks had been roughly scrubbed clean and were now just scarcely visible if you thought to look. And Kakei knew that days later, when Saiga would finally be able to fully reopen his eyes, familiar black symbols, for all their elaborate artistry, would mar the perfect green and white of his eyes.

Kakei reacted instantly, all conscious thoughts pushed back as his body went into autopilot. The door was unlocked and the two men were heading to the back of the store before Kakei even realized he was moving. He didn't bother asking what had happened; he had spent most of his life knowing this day would come. A little extra waiting was nothing he couldn't handle. He also offered no reassurances, no 'everything is going to be perfectly fine,' or 'you'll be back to normal in no time.' He couldn't bring himself to lie so blatantly.

He was so focused on his patient that he didn't realize right away that he was being addressed – not until he was roughly jerked around to face the other and had his name shouted in his face. "I'm telling you something important here!"

"I'm listening." His voice was calm, calmer than he felt.

"I wasn't followed – this time, I'm positive – I wouldn't have come otherwise, but you still need to leave this place. Find somewhere safe."

"…"

"Don't you get it? These people, whoever they were who did this," he gestured vaguely to his face, "it's _you_ they're after! I don't think they even know who you are yet… They used me to find some trinket you have in your desk, but they don't care about that – what they really want is you. This is what they did when I refused to tell them where you were. You know what I mean by that, right? How I 'locate' things?"

Kakei skipped answers to all the questions. "You did this for me." A statement.

"No. Men like that… They knew I was lying to them but I didn't care. I did this for myself, because it's what I wanted."

"I see." Kakei continued their walk to the store office, doing what little he could to alleviate Saiga's agitation – explaining without detail that this _was_ his safe place. It seemed to help. When Saiga was once again seated on the office couch, Kakei left him saying only, "I'll be back shortly."

True to his word, he quickly returned carrying a few select items. There was pure water he'd received from another local business owner in exchange for information about blindnesses caused by spiders of all things and paper talismans from the priest of a nearby temple. Kakei had spent an entire day with the priest searching for the proper wording for the charms – something strong enough to help, but weak enough not to cause additional problems.

Kakei studied the wounds of his patient. It wasn't surprising that they were swollen and inflamed, not with the amount of dirt and debris stuck to the forming scabs. If the injuries had been cleaned and bandaged properly to begin with, they probably wouldn't look half as bad as they do now. Whoever had caused the wounds on the eyelids had done so with great care, but something about that didn't fit.

He knew how this spell was supposed to work. A practitioner would gently carve a pattern onto the victim's eyelids, just enough to break the skin, then apply a certain ink-like substance to the wounds. The "ink" would enter the body through the cuts and continue to penetrate to the eye over a period of time – a few hours, maybe as much as a day. Only then would the curse take complete effect. Too much blood would wash the ink away. The wounds on Saiga's eyelids were different than Kakei expected. They were made all across the eyelids at the same depth, not in an elaborate pattern. It was beginning to make sense now.

It wasn't him, it had _never_ been him. It was depressing and it made the decision he now had to make all the harder. "Damn it." The outburst was quiet but the concern in his voice was palpable.

"That bad, huh?"

Saiga did not understand. How could he? All these years Kakei had know something would happen to this man – this one, special man. Something permanent. Something marring. At first, he had hoped that it would be something that happened before the two of them met. Once he knew for certain that was not the way things would work, he consoled himself with the knowledge that he would be able to help. That he would at least be able to save the man's sight if not remove the physical marks. Now, he knew that was not true either.

Someone else had done that by removing the majority of the physical markings. _Someone else_ had been his benefactor. Saiga's sight would never be what it was, but the spell had been weakened enough that his vision would be passable.

Kakei could still use the talisman. It wouldn't help with the scars – those depressed atrophic scars that were so common on delicate facial tissue. Eyelids were made of fragile skin to begin with and with the reduction in skin thickness, Saiga would have a difficult time blocking out light if he wanted to do so by merely closing his eyes.

No, using the charms now wouldn't help with any of that but it _would_ break the spell completely. He could rid Saiga of the black patterns across his eyes. He could do it. It would work. And it would cause more problems than it would solve.

Spells like this create a link with the one who did the casting. It was weak now, stretched too thin to be perceptible but there nonetheless. If he broke the link, it wouldn't simply disappear. It would have to go somewhere – back to its creator. Bounding back all at once like a rubber band pulled tight and released at one end. It would be as good as handing the man a map to Green Drugstore. That could _not_ happen. The place would have to be abandoned. Kakei would have to start over. He could not afford that. The store itself may be only a few months old, but the preparations for it had begun a decade ago. And so, it wasn't that Kakei couldn't help, it was that he had the capacity to do so but was forced to withhold.

He wanted to breakdown; he couldn't remember the last time he felt this helpless. He didn't, but he wanted to. Instead, he gritted his teeth and began to treat Saiga's wounds as you would any other, immersed himself in what he _could_ do. He washed the wounds on the eyelid – not cuts exactly, almost like a strange kind of burn, the bleeding caused not as much by the injury itself as by rough aftercare. He was meticulous in removing all traces of grit, even when forced to reopen the scabbing to do so. After the fresh bleeding stopped, he applied antibiotic ointment, and bandaged the wounds, completely blocking off what little vision Saiga had left at the moment. He used medical tape to make a splint and stole an ice pack from the store shelves for the swollen middle finger on Saiga's right hand. Lastly, he offered his patient some medicine for the pain. Saiga once again accepted the offering without question. Perhaps he deemed it pointless since he wasn't able to see to verify anything that Kakei told him. Still...

"You really think it's wise to be so trusting with someone you've only recently met?"

"I'm a good judge of character."

"What makes you so certain?"

"Would it help if I said it was because I think you're hot?"

Despite his sober mood, Kakei couldn't help but afford himself a small laugh at a comment like that. "Certainly not."

"Hmm, too bad. Flattery is one of my specialties. But I should have guessed it wouldn't work with you. People aren't as hungry for compliments when they have no need to be insecure." It was another attempt at flattery but Saiga's good nature in such a poor situation only brought Kakei down. _He really is such a charmer._ Most people would be angry at the very least, and here he was instead trying to make his way into the good graces of a love interest.

"Saiga, I am sorry."

"What are you sorry for? You're the one helping me."

"No. It's my fault. The marks," he touched the bandages at Saiga's temple, "they will never go away. I could have… The price was more than I was willing to pay… _is_ more than I'm willing to pay."

"Good. They're my eyes. I don't want you paying a thing for them." The idea came to Kakei then, not for the first time, that he knew next to nothing about the man in front of him. How was it that he seemed more upset than Saiga?

There was silence for a moment as Kakei considered. "…All right then," and that was the end of it, a topic that never had need to be brought up again, "but if there is anything else you need…"

* * *

Kakei had let his words trail off but with the offer of "anything," Saiga was tempted to make an overly forward request. He settled for something much more mundane.

"A pillow."

"Excuse me?"

"Don't you have a pillow for this couch? It'd be nice to lie down. I've had one hell of a day."

"No, actually I don't, but… here." Saiga could feel the shift in the couch as Kakei seated himself at the far end. Moments later, warm hands were gently guiding his head onto the makeshift pillow of Kakei's lap. "Will this work?" The pretty druggist's free hands were already working soothing lines across his head – thankfully avoiding that aching knot on the left side – and chest.

"Mmmm. You're going to spoil me." After a few quiet minutes, Saiga spoke again. "I'm not complaining…"

"But?"

"I'm wondering what I did to deserve this."

"You are injured. Would you rather I just send you home alone?"

"No. But that's not exactly what I meant. I only met you last week. You hide it well, but I can tell even without my eyes, you're more upset than you should be, considering. You act almost as though I already mean something special to you." It was a bold claim that couldn't be played off as a joke due to the seriousness of his tone, but he would chance it.

"…" The lack of a denial was a good sign.

"When I first came to this store, you were surprised when I took off my sunglasses. Why was that?"

"Your eyes…they are a unique shade, that's all." It was an obvious lie. His eyes were his most ordinary feature, that's the reason he never felt bad hiding them behind sunglasses. As least that way, he looked a bit mysterious.

Kakei could lie all he wanted. Saiga had it all figured out. He now had permanent marks on his eyes. That's a very distinguishing feature – something any normal person would be taken aback to see. Only a precog would have been surprised to see ordinary eyes. That meant Kakei had experienced visions of him before they ever met. That would explain something else as well.

He gave a weak chuckle. "I should have known. You were surprised when you first saw me, too. And here I told myself it was just because you didn't know a man could be so damn sexy."

"You're disappointed then?" It wasn't a direct confirmation, more of an assumed understanding. It was more than Saiga had expected.

"Not hardly."

"..."

An odd realization hit him. "We're going to be together for a while then?"

"Saiga. You will always be free to do as you please, to go wherever you desire, with whomever it is that makes you happy."

"Alright. Then at least for now, I'll stay right where I am." With this, he carefully extended his hands toward Kakei's face. Without the use of his eyes, he felt vulnerable, like he might misstep without knowing. Poking Kakei in the eye would defiantly ruin the moment. He reached his hands up slowly, counting on Kakei to let him know that his hands were in the right place. He pulled their mouths together in their first real kiss, tilting his head further back and straining upward to get the perfect angle. Initially, he tested the feel of Kakei's lips with his own, then moved on to get a brief taste of the man's mouth. He may not have been given verbal confirmation, but Saiga didn't regret the voice in his head telling him that these would be the last lips he would ever kiss.

When they finally pulled apart, Saiga spoke again. "I know you may not be able to tell me everything, but just what are you are doing with this store?"

"This place you were at… These men, did they have any children with them…a little boy maybe? With light brown hair?"

"Children?" It was an odd question, but he answered without hesitation. "No, I didn't see any children."

"Then I guess I'm still waiting." To Saiga, the words sounded more like, "_We're_ waiting."

* * *

Author's Notes: When I started this chapter, I did so with the intention that it would be the last. Then I got about ¾ done and realized that answers to some important questions just weren't going to fit and that I was flat out ignoring something else very important. I wrote an epilogue, but I still wasn't happy. I added a second part to the epilogue. Nope, still not done. So I added a bonus chapter. And that will wrap it up for this story.

I've been pretty busy since the beginning of the new year with work and with the training I'm doing for a race I'll be running in May, but I feel like things are starting to settle down so the next part shouldn't take as long to get out as this one.

For Silent Skies – thanks for the nudge! You are the sole reason this chapter is being posted today.


	9. Epilogue: For the Future of Two, Part 1

For the Future of Two, Part 1

There had been one plan and then another. The first was made out of moral concern, the second, out of worry. Neither mattered anymore. Without her sister on the outside to help, there was no chance she would be able to sneak the children away. Even if she could, where would they go? Maybe one day, they will be able to realize the dream on their own.

At least she had managed to get that man to safety. He would have woken up alone and injured, but free and that was the important thing. It was terrible, what she had asked of her student. A voice in her mind said that maybe those men were rubbing off on her. But there had been no other way and the girl had proven herself to be incredibly resilient. She had bolster her courage thinking of her brother and when she had finished, seemed – outwardly at least – to be completely unfazed.

Those men had been planning on releasing Saiga anyway, but this way, he didn't have anyone trailing after him. It was somewhat surprising that they had been so willing to believe her fake call instructing that they return to the home office. Maybe that horrible leader of theirs had thought his time had come – that he would take another step toward complete control of the group.

No doubt they had learned of the trick by now. As a result, there was likely to be a handful of men keeping a watchful eye on the three of them as they walked through the crowded streets of Tokyo's last festival of the season. She hadn't thought things were as bad as this. Hadn't imagined that the group had gained so much influence.

It had started out harmlessly enough. She and a few others had been hired by the parents of gifted children. They had only been tutors then. The children would attend school and, in the afternoon, instead of clubs, they would receive lessons in using their abilities.

It was honorable work. Many children have trouble with their gift. Some find their abilities manifesting at inopportune times. Etsuko once knew a girl who could barely even function for her gift. The child would have dreams – True Dreams of people and places far away – that stole her recuperative sleep. Each morning, she would be too tired to get out of bed. She would try to get more sleep and the cycle would begin again. Once she was able to develop control over her ability, she had been able to regain her life – return to school, play like any other child.

But all of that was _before_.

Before the days of secluded manors and quiet threats and orphaned children.

He approached them out of the blue, calling himself a kindred spirit, and promising financial aid to their small group. Money for supplies, to cover travel expenses, and for scholarships to children whose parents could not afford private tutors. They never should have accepted the money to begin with – should have suspected their wealthy benefactor had a hidden agenda.

The changes had been slow at the beginning and at that time, most of them really had been for the better. A false sense of security, that had been. Now nearly twenty years later, this man and his "kindred souls" were more thugs and bullies than teachers or sponsors.

Etsuko decided to honor her sister and imagined the best possible outcome for the children she cared for now. It was a task she found incredibly difficult despite her good intentions.

The siblings were talented enough and if the boy ever applied himself properly, there would be no limit to the things he could do. They would find a way to leave the estate together – they had been sheltered for so long, they would need each other's support. They would find a sponsor – one that would watch out for them, protect them, guide them. Someone who honestly had their best interests in mind.

It was a pleasant enough dream and it was easier to indulge knowing she likely would not live long enough to be proven wrong. It would surprise her greatly if she lived out the week. But no matter what happened to her, with the time she had left, she would make sure she did her best for these children. She would have to be careful. More careful then she had ever been in her whole life.

The girl was at her side, wearing the pale yellow yukata Etsuko had bought her – she would not be able to do things like that in the future, she could not risk showing any degree of favoritism. The girl was holding back her excitement, attempting to be grown up, while her brother ran ahead. The rhythmic _clack-clack_ of the boy's geta made its way to her ears even though the din of the crowd. That child certainly did have enough energy when it suited him. If only he could harness that enthusiasm for his lessons.

After a few minutes more, she managed to become absorbed enough in her fruitless wishing that she missed noticing when the boy returned to her side. Not until he spoke did she realize he was right in front of her. "Sensei! Everything is just like you said!" Jumping topics quickly, he asked, "Can I try that game over there?" He gestured excitedly at a nearby booth.

"Yo-yo fishing?" This boy might never again have the opportunity to play festival games. "Of course. That is what we are here for, right?" She didn't used to be a liar, but the more she practiced, the less trouble she had forming the words and so, when the girl had a question of her own…

"Sensei, why are we here in Tokyo? I thought you said Kyoto was the most beautiful city there is. Why didn't we go to a festival there instead?"

…the words came quickly to her mind and flowed easily from her lips. "Because, child, while Kyoto may be the most beautiful, it is Tokyo that has the most wonderful matsuri in all the world."

--

Author's Note: Wow, re-reading that one last time before posting, I realize this part really a bit of downer. Don't worry though. I won't let it end like that. Two more posts to go!


	10. For the Future of Two, Part 2

For the Future of Two, Part 2

As promised, Himura Sahomi brought her son to Green Drugstore to meet the store proprietor. Kakei had always had a strange sense of purpose about him for such a young man. He had experienced a vision when he was only 15 that brought him to where he is now. It always seemed like such a strange goal and he resolutely refused to provide any explanation, but now, seeing the shop, standing with him at the back of the store, Sahomi thought she was beginning to understand.

"So, that is Rikuou-kun."

Her children were currently picking out a candy bar from the display by the register. It was oddly nice of Kakei to have offered them something for free.

She couldn't help but notice that smile on Kakei's lips. It was the smile he always got when he knew something. He hadn't even started his reading yet, but he was smiling. She wasn't quite sure if that was a good thing or a bad thing. Kakei could be hard to read sometimes.

"Himura-san. I will promise you this. If anything is to happen, I will take care of Rikuou. And I have no doubt, he will do his best to take care of his sister."

This was the kind of thing Kakei did, seemingly without reason. It was mystifying most of the time. It sparked a curiosity that would never be fulfilled. The man would never tell more than he deemed appropriate, and that was usually precious little. Why would Kakei offer something like that? To take care of someone else's children… Maybe he knew it would never be necessary. Maybe he knew it would only be a small obligation. Whatever the reason, it took a great weight off her mind. Her children would be looked after, cared for. It was more than she had ever hoped to receive.

* * *

Himura had no need to worry. Nothing was going to happen that she would be able to do anything about. By the time that everything he had been planning for came to fruition, she would be years dead. It was a cold way of looking at it perhaps, but realistic. Despite the somber thoughts, he couldn't help but smile. Saiga. Rikuou. Two names down, only one to go. And the final boy, he would not arrive for years yet.

According to Himura, her son was ten years old. If Rikuou was the same age as the boy with the light hair, it would likely be another six to eight years before they would meet. It would be plenty of time. Enough time to plan, to prepare. Enough time even, to spend a good deal of it taking care of more personal matters.

* * *

Author's Note: Can you believe it? That's the official end of the story. Only the bonus chapter left to go. I'm so close to being finished! Ah, this makes me wonderfully happy.


	11. Bonus: Helpful Strangers

Bonus – Helpful Strangers

A pat on the arm? Did he even know what he was asking here? Saiga had come close to being permanently blinded because he wasn't careful enough and Kakei expected him to accept a ride home from a random stranger? To not only put himself in their hands without knowing if they were even heading in the direction they claimed, but to lead them to his new home as well? He at least deserved a kiss out of this.

"Please? You'll be safe."

Oh no, not this again. For an instant, he was glad his eyes were bandaged. Kakei had "that" tone of voice and he could just imagine the look on the other man's face. He had to wonder if maybe Kakei knew about his weakness and was exploiting it on purpose. He was putting the control in Saiga's hands again, waiting for him to make a decision. Now he couldn't just write the other day off as a fluke. He really _did_ hate it when Kakei put himself completely at his mercy. He had no choice but to give in.

"Fine." He was just a sucker and he knew it.

"Splendid. I'm sure Himura-san will take excellent care to get you home safely. You can rest then. And remember my instructions; don't try opening your eyes."

Last night, with his head in Kakei's lap, there had been something special – a connection, something strong binding the two of them together. Saiga had felt certain of where this relationship was heading, how it was going to last, turn into something meaningful and worthwhile.

When he woke up this morning, most of that certainty was gone. While there was definitely still that attraction, he couldn't help but remember that this was a man that he barely knew. How was this going to work? How was he supposed to go about pursuing a man if their future was already decided? You lose half the fun if you skip the chase altogether.

Then he actually spoke with Kakei again. Either the man had an annoying stubborn streak, or he took some kind of perverse pleasure in toying with him. Not only did he fail to acknowledge the progress they had made, he completely reset their relationship to square one. Kakei was displeased that his date was cancelled because of the irresponsibility of his suitor, he said. He wasn't sure if he would be willing to see the man again.

Then, the guy pawns him off on some random woman and sends him away with nothing more than a pat the arm? It was beyond cold, it was frustrating as hell. But still, when he asked? When he said please? When he put the power in Saiga's hands? Saiga just couldn't say no.

"Saiga-san, I am Himura Sahomi. It's a pleasure to finally meet you." Finally? "I have my children with me, Tsukiko and Rikuou. Say hello to Saiga-san, you two."

Two voices spoke at the same time, both giving basic greetings but worded differently. Despite the overlap, he recognized one of them. And suddenly, he also remembered hearing Himura-san's voice as well. This wasn't just some random person, this was the woman Kakei had meet with yesterday afternoon and the daughter, Tsukiko, was the one who had the power strong enough to block his vision of her in his dreams.

A few minutes later, they were headed off toward Saiga's apartment, Saiga giving the directions all at once instead of the typical, "turn here…keep going...this left" etcetera that one can afford when they can see where the driver is in relation to where they need to go.

"I've been wondering what kind of person you would be." Was she implying that she'd known about him for quite a while, or was it simply that Kakei had mentioned him to her yesterday? He wouldn't ask. She would likely just react as Kakei would and dodge the subject. Either way, it seemed to be a good sign. "Persistence will help."

"How so?"

"You know… where Kakei is concerned. Don't let him fool you. He puts on a big show, but it _is_ just a show."

Maybe this woman would be helpful after all. "Any more advice?"

"I'm not really sure I can give you anymore than that. You'll do fine." Her tone seemed to say, 'you're special, you don't need any more help.' Saiga could practically hear the woman's smile.

"Mom, what are you talking about?" That was the boy, Rikuou.

"You'll learn someday." And that was Tsukiko.

"What's that supposed to mean? You're cheating again. You're not supposed to do that. You're gonna get in trouble."

"Don't get angry and break something, you'll get us in a wreck." Break things? Was the boy some kind of telekinetic?

"I'm not going to break anything, stupid."

"That's enough! Tsukiko, don't do readings on your brother without his permission. Rikuou, don't insult your sister."

Two mumbled replies from the back seat sent the car into silence.

The whole trip only lasted a few minutes and they soon arrived at Saiga's apartment – or at least, so Himura claimed.

"Rikuou, why don't you help Saiga to his door."

"Better do a good job, Rikuou. Kakei-san will be mad at you if he falls. He can be scary when he's angry." The girl didn't sound like she was teasing, but instead, giving an honest warning. Rikuou didn't argue. Either he knew it to be true, or he was willing to accept his sister's judgment.

After carefully making his way up two flights of stairs, Saiga waited until the kid had unlocked his door for him before he asked his questions. "How long have you known Kakei?"

"Today was the first time I've seen him, but my mom's talked about him before."

"Why the meeting today?"

"I don't know. Mom's worried about my sister, I think. Kakei-san said some weird things."

"Yeah, like what?"

"Something about some important person. And something about having enough time."

"You know, maybe you shouldn't be telling me these things. I might be a bad guy."

"Mom said we could trust you."

"Is that right? And how would she know? I just met her a few minutes ago."

"Maybe Kakei told her, or maybe Tsukiko did. Mom said that aside from her and Dad and Tsukiko, you and Kakei were the only people I could trust."

"That's an exclusive group. I guess that probably means I'll be seeing you around." He went on without waiting for a reply. "Well, hey kid, thanks for the help. You'd better run along back to your mom now."

"Okay."

The boy took off down the hall without further prompting. Saiga waited to hear the kid's footsteps on the stairs before he entered his apartment – definitely his apartment, it had the right smell, the coat hanger next to the door with his other jacket, another pair of his shoes lined up along the step just inside. He toed off his shoes and felt his way to the kitchen for something to drink.

It might be early but a beer sounded good. He could seriously use a drink after all that had happen in the last few days. What had he gotten himself into? That letter, the old woman, those men, Kakei, and kids now too.

It wasn't that he disliked kids, but he'd never really had much interaction with them and he'd always assumed he never would. And now here was this boy who thought he could somehow rely on Saiga. One of only a few people in the entire world he would trust. He began to wonder what color of hair the boy had. Kakei had asked about a boy with light hair.

There wasn't much use in pondering that. If he wanted answers, he'd have to get them from Kakei and currently the man wasn't even agreeing to go on another date with him. That would change.

Earlier in the morning, he'd been worried about how things were going to work out with Kakei. He felt a bit differently about it now. So he knew how things would end, so what? He was confident enough in his charms that he'd believed that all along. He still didn't know the how or the when of how things would come together. That was the best part of the chase anyway, the subtle details, the specifics. He opened the refrigerator door, laughed – this little game was going to be quite enjoyable – and began plotting his next step in seducing Kakei.

* * *

Author's Note: That's it for this story. Thanks for reading! Hope you've enjoyed it.


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